The present invention relates generally to solar screens for windows, and more particularly to a solar screen mounting system for an awning window.
Sun rooms, enclosed porches, mobile homes, RV""s, campers and homes and other types of enclosures often employ walls and doors which have windows to allow entry of natural sunlight and visualization of the exterior of the enclosure. One disadvantage in using windows, particularly if substantially all the door or wall are is occupied by such windows, is that direct sunlight can heat the room and can also impinge on the glass to cause the glass to become very hot. The heat from the glass radiates into the room, and along with the direct sunlight, can make the room very hot and increase the energy required to air condition the enclosure to the desired temperature.
One type of window commonly employed in doors and walls of such enclosures is referred to as an awning window, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,828 to Jordal, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. An awning window has at least an upper pane in the window frame and a lower pane in the frame below the upper pane. Each pane is pivotally attached to the window frame at the upper end of the pane, and is opened by pivoting the bottom end of each pane exteriorly of the structure about its upper end.
While the prior art has employed interior shades and shutters to block sunlight from the interior of an enclosure having awning windows, these types of devices still allow the sunlight to directly impinge on the glass. Thus the heat absorbed by the glass will radiate into the interior of the enclosure. The use of exterior solar screens and other exterior coverings have heretofore been impracticable with awning windows since the exterior covering obstructs opening of the awning window.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,755,524 to Honer shows an exterior cover of wire mesh for a louver assembly. The wire mesh extends exteriorly from the enclosure a relatively large distance in order to provide room for opening and closing of the louvers. However, such an exterior covering can be unsightly, difficult to install, and intrusive into the exterior space around the louver. Further, such exterior covering are not practically employed with enclosures having several louvers in side-by-side relation since there is little or no wall structure between the louvers in which to mount the exterior covers.
What is therefore needed is a system for mounting a solar screen or other shading device on the exterior of an awning window. The system should be easily and readily installed on the exterior of the awning window while minimizing intrusion into and obstruction of the exterior space around the window. The system should be readily adapted for attachment and removal of solar screens from existing or new awning window installations, whether the awning window is isolated in a wall or door of the enclosure, or is one of series of side-by-side awning windows. Further, the system should allow opening and closing of the awning window with the solar screen mounted thereon.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a solar screen for an awning window. The solar screen is pivotally mounted to the bottom portion of at least one pane of the awning window.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a solar screen mounted on the exterior of an awning window that moves exteriorly with respect to the enclosure as the awning window is opened and interiorly with respect to the enclosure as the awning window is closed.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a solar screen mounted on the exterior of an awning window that remains generally parallel with the wall of the enclosure as the awning window is opened and closed.
These and other aspects, forms, advantages, features and embodiments of the present invention will also be apparent from the following description of the illustrated embodiments